Barcelona sacrifice €4.5m by withdrawing from Tangier friendly

Barcelona have formally decided not to play a friendly match in Tangier on 15 August, despite the Catalan club standing to lose about €4.5m from cancelling their appearance in Morocco.

The decision follows the unsettled situation after recent events in Ceuta, where more than 70,000 Moroccan citizens entered the Spanish autonomous city illegally.

Barcelona confirmed the withdrawal in a statement published on their official website.

“Given the current state of uncertainty and the circumstances, the club believes that playing the match would be inappropriate,” the club said.

The proposed fixture in Tangier had been expected to form part of Barcelona’s preparations for the new season. However, the club has now decided against travelling to Morocco while the situation remains uncertain.

According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, sources connected with the organisers also believe the current conditions are not suitable for the friendly to go ahead, following the events in Ceuta during the previous week.

Barcelona are now assessing whether another friendly can be arranged. The club is discussing the situation with German head coach Hansi Flick as it considers how best to ensure the squad reaches the required level of fitness before beginning its La Liga campaign.

The financial consequences of the decision are significant. Barcelona were due to receive approximately €4.5m for taking part in the match, but have chosen to place the safety of their players and coaching staff ahead of that payment.

The club’s decision comes after a period of uncertainty linked to developments in Ceuta. More than 70,000 Moroccan citizens entered the city, which has autonomous status, by illegal means, creating the circumstances that have affected plans for the proposed fixture.

No alternative opponent or venue has been confirmed by Barcelona. The club is instead continuing to review its options with Flick before deciding whether a replacement friendly can be organised.

The Tangier match had therefore represented both a significant commercial opportunity and an important part of Barcelona’s pre-season planning. By withdrawing, the club will miss out on the agreed payment and must now consider how to replace the fixture in its preparations.

Barcelona’s official position is that the current uncertainty makes the match inappropriate. The club’s priority, as stated in its decision, is the safety of those travelling with the team rather than the financial benefit attached to the game.

The next stage will be to determine whether a new friendly can be scheduled in time for Barcelona to complete their preparations before the start of the Spanish league season.